I-T raids against ex-TN minister Senthil Balaji's kin, friends concludes

KARUR: The Income Tax raids against friends and family of former Tamil Nadu minister Senthil Balaji in connection with a fraud case concluded today.

The raids, which commenced on September 21, were conducted in the house and office of a contractor, stated to be a close associate of Balaji, and 50 other places of his friends and relatives in Thanthonri Malai, Rayanur, Ramakrishna Nagar and Kamaraj Nagar areas, official sources said.

The raids were held in the backdrop of allegations against Balaji that he had defrauded several persons to the tune of about Rs 4 crore by promising them jobs in transport department when he was its minister in charge in 2015. 

The Chennai Central Crime branch police are investigating the complaints filed by the duped aspirants in the case. Balaji had moved the Madras High Court seeking anticipatory bail in connection with the case.

Sources added that tax evasion to the tune of Rs 100 crore had come to the notice of the officials during
the raids.The money transaction details of Balaji's participation in the 2011 Aravakurichi Assembly constituency had also been seized from his associates, they said.

One of the relatives of the minister is suspected to have been involved in tax evasion to the tune of Rs 60 crore, the officials said.

Balaji is among the 18 AIADMK MLAs loyal to sidelined leader T T V Dhinakaran who were disqualified by the state Assembly Speaker recently.